Previews

Match Preview - Blackburn (a) - FA CUP

Time to move on and look to yet another cup. Let’s win this one to make up for the weekend. Thanks to probably the most sleep inducing football match that will ever be played at Ashburton Grove we have another fixture squeezed into our already congested list. Not many teams more fitting to face the wrath of a thoroughly pissed off Arsenal side ready to kick seven shades of shite out of anyone in our way following 'The Battle of Cardiff' or whatever Sky will call it.

Stats

This Season

At home this season in all competitions Blackburn have won ten, drawn three and lost six, and they sit comfortably mid-table in the league.

Away from home in all competitions this season we’ve won thirteen, drawn four and lost seven.

Current Form – Last Six

Blackburn – WLLDDW

Arsenal – DWWDLL

Fixture History – Wenger Years

Since the 97/98 season, excluding the two seasons they spent in Division 1, we’ve won at Ewood Park six times and lost three times, including a 0-1 last season. We’ve beaten them in the FA Cup both times we’ve drawn them before, let’s hope third times a charm.

Team News

Arsenal

Bit of a lengthy list of issues for this game.

Thierry Henry, Tomas Rosicky and Abou Diaby have all picked up random injuries and won’t travel.

Justin Hoyte, Mathieu Flamini and Johann Djourou are all struggling with various injuries but aren’t definitely ruled out of playing.

Cesc Fabregas is to be rested. He might be on the bench though.

Gael Clichy is back in the squad after missing the Carling Cup final but may not start.

Robin van Persie is out for another 8-10 weeks with his toe injury.

Kolo Toure and Emmanuel Adebayor are suspended. Eboue is available, if we don’t appeal or his appeal fails then he’ll miss the next three games after this.

Blackburn

McCarthy, Savage, Ooijer and Reid out for this game.

Line-Ups

Arsenal

Almunia will keep his place in goal as our ‘Cup goalie’. Eboue, Hleb, Gilberto, Ljungberg and Gallas will return to the starting lineup. Denilson travels with the squad and is likely to start alongside Gilberto. In the best case scenario where everyone who is a bit of doubt to play starts, the team will be:

Poom, Senderos, Flamini, Fabregas, Walcott.

Blackburn

They’re out of the UEFA Cup so you’d expect their strongest side for this, although there is still an outside shot they could get close to the UEFA Cup spots in the league over the next ten games.

So let me stop reminiscing of days gone by and let me focus on our Welsh wonder. Let me start off by saying that I think it is quite obvious that Aaron Ramsey is better in central midfield. His partnership with Mesut Özil, his running from deep and his underrated ball winning ability makes him a ...Read more